The Board has found that new evidence supports readjudication of the previously denied claim for service connection for a left knee disability. The claims for an increased rating for MDD, service connection for pre-syncope and/or syncope (secondary to MDD), and TDIU are also remanded due to procedural errors.
The deciding factor: The new evidence includes VA treatment records from the Detroit VAMC that document left knee complaints and arthritis as early as 2005, which may support service connection for a left knee disability. The Veteran's pre-syncope and/or syncope symptoms are reasonably raised by his psychiatric treatment records.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee Osgood-Schlatter's disease, major depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 27, 2023
- Citation
- A23033386
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A23033386.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for specially-adapted housing assistance and a special home adaptation grant was denied because he does not meet the criteria for either benefit based on his service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder has been dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of the appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided that the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, should be remanded due to a failure to verify a stressor related to the death of his two best friends in Iraq. The AOJ needs to develop this stressor.
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